Shaft-bearing for conveyers



(o Model.)

J. B. IVEY.

SHAFT BEARING 'FOR GONVEYERS.

Patented Mar. 21,l 18913.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES BENNETT IVEY, OF MACON, GEORGIA.

SHAFT-BEARING FOR CONVEYERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 493,726, dated March 21, 1893.

Application iiled June 4, 1892 To all whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I, J AMES BENNETT IvEY, of Macon, county of Bibb, and State of Georgia, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Shaft-Bearings for Oonveyers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to endless elevating or conveying mechanisms such as are commonly employed in connection with thrashing machines, hay-loaders, duc., and it relates more particularly to conveyers in which two or more endless chains or bands are carried at opposite ends by sprocket wheels mounted on shafts from which they receive their motion.

The objects of my invention are, first, to provide bearings for the shaft which willpermit the latter to adj ust itself automatically to the varying abnormal conditions arising in practice on account of the unequal strains to which the shaft is frequently subjected and of other causes; and, second, to provide means for regulating the tension of the chains and for taking up the slack.

With these ends in view my invention consists in mounting the shaft at its opposite ends in bearings so constructed and arranged as to have a universal motion.

The invention further consists in providing the bearings with means for adjusting them longitudinally of the conveying chains to take up the slack.

The invention also consists in the details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings-Figure l is aside elevation of a chain-conveyer having my invention embodied therein. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a crosssection on the line mof Fig. l. Fig. 4 1s a section on theliney-y of Fig. 1,viewed from below.

Referring to the drawings,-A represents a conveyer-frame,which may be of any form or construction which will sustain the operative parts hereinafter described. This frame consists of two longitudinal beams a a', and a iiooring a2, as usual.

B B represent endless conveying chains carried at opposite ends by sprocket wheels C C', ixed respectively to shafts D D',

. SerialNo.435,510. (Nomodel.)

mounted in bearings at the opposite ends of the conveyor frame.

The foregoing parts constitute the essential and leading features of a conveying mechanism of well known construction, and except in so far as hereinafter indicated, may be of any suitable form.

In order that the shaft carrying the wheels may adjust itself automatically to different angles which it may tend to assume on account of the unequal strains applied to the chains I so construct and sustain the bearings in which the shaft is mounted that they havea universal motion, that is to say, that they may rock ortip both on a vertical and horizontal axis, transversely of the length of the shaft.

In the drawings I have shown my invention as applied to the lower shaft of an elevating mechanism, and have shown the same embodied in a novel and efficient form, but it is to be understood that my invention is not limited to its application in this form and in this position, as it may be reasonably modified and changed provided the operation is substantially the same.

These bearings are constructed as follows: To the outer sides of each of the beams a a of the elevator-frame at their lower ends, I securely bolt plates E E', each of which is provided with three laterally and outwardly extending iianges e, e and c2. The ianges e e are provided with openings within whichI loosely mount a stem F, provided at its end beyond the plate with a forked head F'. The inner sides of this forked head are provided with cavities f f adapted to receive respectively projections g g', formed on the upper and lower sides of a box or collar H, within which is loosely mounted the shaft carrying the sprocket wheels. As a result of this arrangement it will be seen that each of the boxes or collars may turn on a vertical axis within the forked heads, and that the latter may turn on a horizontalaxis, both axes being transverse to the length of the shaft; in other words, a universal motion of the bearings is permitted.

In order that the boxes or collars may be removed or replaced as desired,I provide the IOO under side of the upper portion of the forked head With a recess h, extending from its end and communicating with the cavity f. This recess is adapted to receive the square head of a bolt I, extending through the upper portion of the fork and provided on its upper end with a tightening nut t'. By this means the box or collar may be held securely in place or it may be removed by first removing the bolt.

In order that the forked stems carrying the shaft and its boxes or collars may be adjusted longitudinally for the purpose of taking up any slack Which may occur, and for tightening the chains, I provide each of the 'lianges e2, With a threaded openin g adapted to receive a bolt J, which is screwed therein withits end abutting against the end of the stem, and further provide the bolt with a check-nut L and a square head M, by which it may be turned. It Will be seen that by screwing the nut the forked stems may be moved bodily longitudinally, carrying the sprocket wheels and tightening the chains.

Any suitable means may be employed for driving the chain such, for example, as a band-pulley on either shaft and a band running thereon and connected with the source of power.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. The combination of the shaft-supportin g spindles mounted in bearings parallel to each other, and capable of turning on their axes, the said spindles having forked heads for the reception of shaft-bearing boxes, the boxes trunnioned in said forked heads and capable of oscillating in the planes of the axes of the spindles, and theY shaft supported in said boxes.

2. The combination of the shaft-supporting spindles mounted in bearings parallel to each other, and capable of turning on their axes, said spindles having forked heads for the reception of shaft-bearing boxes, the boxes tru nnioned in said forked heads and capable of oscillating in the planes of the axes of the spindles, the shaft supported in said boxes, and the adjusting screws for adjusting the spindles longitudinally.

3. The combination of the shaft-supporting spindle having the forked head one arm of which has in its inner side a cavity and the other a longitudinal groove or channel, extending from the end inward, and abolt opening in said channel, the collar or box havingtrunnions seated respectively in the cavity and groove of the two fork arms, the shaft mounted in said collar or box, and the bolt for retaining the collar in place.

4. The combination with the forked head provided on its under side with a cavity f and in its upper inner side with the cavityf, and recess h, of the collar provided with projections to enter said cavities and the bolt provided With a head to enter the recess.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand, this 21st day of March, 1892, in the presence of two attesting Witnesses.

JAMES BENNETT IVEY. Witnesses:

J. J. COBB, GEO. B. TURPIN.

It is hereby certified that the name of the patentee in Letters Patent No. 493,726

granted March 21, 1893, for an improvement in Shaft Bearings for Conveyers, was erroneously written and printed James Bennett Ivey,7`7 Whereas said name should have been Written and printed James Barnett Ivey; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed, countersigned, and sealed this 28th day of March, A. D. 1893..

CYRUS BUSSEY, Assistant Secretary of the Interior.

[SEAL] Countersigned N. L. FROTHINGHAM,

Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

